Euphorbia plant named ‘Baleuphflur’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Euphorbia plant named ‘Baleuphflur’, characterized by its double-type, white-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage often tinted dark red, and moderately vigorous, compact, mounded to spherical-like growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Euphorbia hypericifolia.

Variety denomination: ‘Baleuphflur’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Euphorbia plant botanically known as Euphorbia hypericifolia and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Baleuphflur’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Guadalupe, Calif. during July 2017. The objective of the breeding program was the development of dark-leaved, compact, and well-branched Euphorbia having double flowers.

The new Euphorbia cultivar is the result of open-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Euphorbia hypericifolia breeding selection coded 21818-F, not patented, characterized by its double-type, white-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, mounded growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Euphorbia hypericifolia breeding selection coded 21815-A, not patented, characterized by its single-type, white-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, mounded growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated open-pollination during January 2018 in a controlled environment in Guadalupe, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since January 2018 in Guadalupe, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Baleuphflur’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Euphorbia plant:

-   -   1. Double-type, white-colored flowers;     -   2. Dark green-colored foliage often tinted dark red; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, compact, mounded to spherical-like         growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in having a more compact growth habit. Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the male parent primarily in having double-type flowers and a more compact growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Euphorbia cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is Euphoric Double White ‘16EUPD1’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 33,880. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘16EUPD1’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have fewer cyathia per cyme than         plants of ‘16EUPD1’; and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a shade of yellow-green stem         color that is different from plants of ‘16EUPD1’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Baleuphflur’. The plants were approximately 5-months old and were grown in twelve inch hanging baskets at three plants per basket. Plants were given three pinches prior to transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth of ‘Baleuphflur’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of the inflorescences of ‘Baleuphflur’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in August 2022 under natural light conditions in Naperville, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe approximately 5-month-old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in in twelve inch hanging baskets at three plants per basket for approximately 12 weeks in an outdoor nursery in West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given three pinches prior to transplant. Prior to transplant plants were grown in a polycarbonate greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 75° F. to 80° F. (24° C. to 27° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 70° F. (18° C. to 21° C.) during the night. Supplemental lighting was used for first two weeks after sticking. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia hypericifolia ‘Baleuphflur’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Euphorbia hypericifolia breeding             selection coded 21818-F, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Euphorbia hypericifolia breeding             selection coded 21815-A, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 10 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 3 to 4             weeks.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 5 to 7 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm container.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             compact, mounded to spherical-like growth habit.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 38.0 cm. Height from lowest point to top of             plant plane: Approximately 60.0 cm. Width: Approximately             68.0 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, divergent, pinching             enhances branching. Quantity of branches per plant:             Approximately 6 main basal branches and 14 main lateral             branches.         -   Lateral branch.—Shape: Round in cross section. Strength:             Strong, flexible. Length to base of inflorescence:             Approximately 19.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.             Length of central internode: Approximately 3.5 cm. Texture:             Glabrous. Color of young and mature stems: 146D with 187A at             nodes. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per branch:             Approximately 4 to 6. Fragrance: None detected. Form:             Simple. Arrangement: Opposite.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Primarily perpendicular to stem. Shape:             Elliptic to narrowly elliptic. Margin: Entire, ciliate.             Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Rounded to broadly attenuate.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:             Approximately 2.6 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately             1.6 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely             pubescent. Color of upper surface of young and mature             foliage: 137A to 137B often tinted with 187A with venation             indistinguishable from lamina. Color of lower surface of             young and mature foliage: Closest to 138B with venation             indistinguishable from lamina.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 1.0 cm to 2.0 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color:             146C. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Baleuphflur’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from late spring through autumn and year-round in             greenhouse environment.         -   Lastingness of individual cyanthium.—Approximately 20 to 30             days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Cyathia arranged in terminal and             axillary cymes, terminal cymes having 3 to 4 axes. Aspect:             Primarily facing upward and outward. Quantity of             inflorescences per plant: Approximately 20 terminal compound             cymes and approximately 10 axillary compound cymes per             branch with approximately 6 cymes per each compound cyme.             Fragrance: None detected. Depth or height of cyme:             Approximately 1.4 cm. Width: Approximately 1.7 cm.         -   Rachis.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Acute angle to stem.             Length: Approximately 2.0 cm to 3.5 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 146B with             187A at axis. -   Flower description:     -   -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Obovoid. Length:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Texture: Glabrous. Color: NN155D.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per cyme: 3 to 4. Appearance: Cyathium,             asepalous and apetalous, comprised of an involucre that             surround the female flower, and male flowers; 4 petaloid             nectaries at the upper rim. Fragrance: Not detected. Depth:             Approximately 5.0 mm. Width: Approximately 8.0 mm.         -   Involucre.—Length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Width:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 144A. Length             of petaloid nectaries: Approximately 1.5 mm. Width of             petaloid nectaries: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of upper             and lower surfaces of petaloid nectaries: Glabrous. Color of             petaloid nectaries: NN155A with base of 144A.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity: 6 to 10 per cyathium. Arrangement:             In multiple whorls with lowest two opposite. Shape: Obovate.             Margin: Entire. Apex: Mucronate to rounded. Base: Attenuate.             Length: Approximately 4.0 mm to 6.0 mm. Width: Approximately             1.0 mm to 2.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Glabrous. Color of upper surface: NN155A. Color of lower             surface: NN155A with 144A at base.         -   Cyathia pedicel.—Length: Approximately 0.5 mm to 0.8 mm.             Diameter: Less than 1.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 2 to 6.             Length: Approximately 1.0 mm to 2.0 mm. Anther shape: Oval.             Anther color: 158C. Pollen amount: Sparse. Pollen color:             158D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per cyathium, ovary             supported on a pedicel of approximately 1.0 mm in length and             color of 144A, 3 styles each 2-cleft, 6 stigmas. Pistil             length (not including pedicel): Approximately 2.0 mm. Stigma             shape: Rounded. Stigma length: Less than 1.0 mm. Stigma             color: NN155D, transparent. Style length: Approximately             1.0 mm. Style color: NN155D, transparent. Ovary diameter:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Ovary color: 144A. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Euphorbia has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Euphorbia plant named ‘Baleuphflur’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 